“it will bring transparency and understanding”, says Anthony Gautier

“Everyone is always a little more accepting of what they understand, and being able to communicate around the decisions made with video assistance in referee work is an element that, in my opinion, can be beneficial for the public, for the spectators in the stadiums, for the TV viewers, because it is a process with transparency”explained Anthony Gautier to AFP.

The open mic, for VAR decisions only

The referees’ sound system to explain their decision-making after the use of VAR will therefore be inaugurated, on Saturday 4 May, in Montpellier during the French Women’s Cup final between PSG and Fleury. Then it will also be implemented during the D1 Arkéma play-offs, on 12 and 19 May, as well as during the men’s French Cup final, between PSG and Lyon, on 25 May in Lille.

If the Professional Football League (LFP) is in favor of implementing this system in Ligue 1 from next season, it is still suspended from its technical feasibility in the stadiums so that the sound is restored and the referee can explain his decisions to the public.

“Arbitration has nothing to hide”

“When everything is technically ready, the judges who judge in professional competitions will also be ready. They have been trained in this since February”explains Gautier, who sees in the sound system of the game directors an additional lever to make the use of VAR, criticized in recent months, clearer. “I have only one wish, and that is to break down the barriers around arbitration, which has nothing to hide. When I hear the referee give public explanations for a decision that affects the progress of a match, I am convinced that it can only be beneficial for those who follow this match.”he thinks.

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Specifically, the field referee will have a microphone that his VAR assistant will open remotely when explaining his decision. For the rest of the meeting, this microphone will remain closed. “Is concerned about this experiment, more details Gautier, the 4 cases found in the video assist protocol: goals scored, outright exclusions, penalty situations and possible identity errors ».